Air-craft.



F. BRACKETT.

AIR CRAFT. APPLICATION FILED AUG.12 ,1911.

1,039,251. Patented Sept. 24, 1912.

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F. BRAGKETT.

AIR CRAFT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.12,1911.

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Witnesses COLUMBIA PLANOGRANI cm. WASHINGTON. D. c.

F. BRAGKETT.

AIR CRAFT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 12, 1911.

Patented Sept. 24, 1912.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK BRACKETT, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

AIR-CRAFT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 24, 1912.

Original application filed July 11, 1910, Serial No. 571,428. Dividedand this application filed August 12,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK BRACKETT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented newand useful improvements in Air-Craft, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to aerial navigating apparatus, is a divisionalapplication of application filed July 11, 1910, for an air craft, SerialNo. 57 1,428, and has particular reference to an improved apparatus ofthis character combining sustaining aeroplane features with a novelballoon structure, the improved device having for its primary obj ect toprovide means for supporting in midair an aeroplane structure when thesustaining or driving element, usually in the form of a motor drivenpropeller, becomes inactive by breakage or by the will of the operator,or supporting in mid-air a balloon structure when the gas becomesexhausted from the supporting gas container.

Another object of this invention is to construct an apparatus admittingof a very flexible control and being comparatively light in weight, suchadvantages being incident to an aeroplane structure and an apparatuspossessing the buoyancy of a balloon which will float and support thecraft without the operation of the propelling means.

A further object of the invention is to provide this improved aerialcraft with sus taining planes made up from a plurality of separable andinterchangeable component elements admitting of the knocking down andassemblage of the apparatus for easy transportation and construction, aswell as adapting the elements for adjustment singly and in groups.

It is further designed by this invention to provide an aerial craftcombining all of the good features and advantages of the aerial andballoon structures, and in which are eliminated all of the disadvantagespossessed by each type singly.

It is also designed by this invention to include in this improvedapparatus a novel construction of car or frame and to provide adjustingmeans between the several planes of the apparatus and the frame, wherebythe latter is supported at various distances between the planes.

With these objects in view the invention broadly consists of a number ofplanes Serial No. 643,653.

adapted for supporting a frame work or car which is adjustably suspendedfrom the planes, each of these planes being given a curvature incidentto the structure of the planes on an aeroplane, and forming these planesof a number of gas containers which are arranged in horizontal relationto provide an assembled plane of the desired size. The improved craft isalso provided with a propelling mechanism of any adaptable form andimproved steering apparatus, the latter being retained as the subjectmatter in the above referred to application of which this is a division.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will appear from thenovel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafterparticularly pointed out in the following specification, theaccompanying drawings, and in the appended claims.

In the drawings disclosing one embodiment of this invention, Figure 1 isa side elevation of the improved aerial craft. Fig. 2 is a rearelevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view through theadjacent corners of the plane elements showing the connecting means forthe same. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the connecting means. Fig. 5 isa detail perspective view of the connecting link employed. Fig. 6 is adetail enlarged perspective view of one corner of the car or frame. Fig.7 is a cross sectional. view of one of the elements or containers. Fig.7 is a similar view disclosing a modified structure of the element orcontainer.

Referring to the disclosure in the drawings, 10 are the elements fromwhich the planes of the apparatus are formed. These elements are in theform of gas containers, are preferably arranged in three superimposedand spaced rows of four each, are rectangular in cross section, and havetheir ends reduced wedge-shaped. The ends are thus formed preferably byconvergence of the top and bottom of the containers, to offset theresistance of the air to the movement of the craft.

It will be seen from Fig. 7 that each of the elements or containers isin the form of a supporting frame or shell 11 of aluminum or other lightmetal or fiber, and is provided with an inner gas bag or lining ofsilkor other suitable material 12. If desired, the container may he of anyother suitable form, such as is disclosed for instance in Fig. 7 inwhich the supporting frame 11 is formed of lattice Work or stampedmaterial, and. is surrounded by the gas bag or body of silk 12.

The under or bottom side 13 of each of the containers is curved in thedirection of flight of the machine, as is clearly disclosed in Fig. 1,and is shaped in accordance with the rules used in constructing thesupporting planes of heavier-than-air machines. It will be noted thatfor each row of plan-es there is an aggregate supporting surface ofrelatively large area. This surface may be made of such an area that thecraft may be supported by it alone without the assistance of the gas inthe containers, and the capacity of the containers is adapted to be suchthat they will hold suiiicient gas to support the machine when it is notbeing propelled. This proportion may be varied at Will, and inconnection with war crafts it is preferred that they be made as hereinspecified.

Each container 10 is provided at its ends, and at spaced intervalsthroughout its length, with straps 14 preferably completely encirclingthe container at such points, and being looped at the edges of thecontainer to provide flexible connecting portions. These loo-ping orconnecting portions are each provided with a square link, disclosed toadvantage in Fig. 4, the links each being offset outwardly at itscorners for the reception of diagonal supporting cords 16 extendingdiagonally between the links 15 of each container. The cords 16 are usedas braces or supports, and light rods or other devices may be employedin lieu of the cords if desired. The adjacent corners or edges of thecontainers 10 are connected together by snap rings or connecting links17, as is disclosed in Figs. 3 and 4. The snap rings Or links 17 engagethrough the connecting links 15 and engage in offset portions formedmid- .way of the ends of the upper bars of the links for the purpose ofholding the loops or straps 14 in alinement with one another. Cords 16are passed through eyelets 16 in each strap 14 on the tops of thecontainers 10, the cords 16 passing around each group and being tied orotherwise suitably secured to the frame or car of the craft to hold thecomponent elements in groups forming the planes, and to hold the planesin their respective positions. Any other suitable means maybe employedfor fastening these planes and groups of containers together.

Attached to the links 17 of the lowermostcontainers by detachable snaphooks 18 is a car structure on which is mounted the propelling motor 20,and from which the craft is controlled. It will be noted that the snaphooks 18 consecutively increase in length from the rear to the forwardend of the craft in order to support the craft in a true horizontalplane beneath the inclined supporting planes. This car is a framestructure formed of light, strong material and is diagonally braced bystruts 21. The longitudinal members 22 of the frame meet the transversemembers 23, the vertical members 24 and the diagonal members 21 at thecorners of the frame, as shown in detail in Fig. 6. It will be notedthat the transverse members 23 lap against the inner sides of thevertical members 24, and that the longitudinal memhere 22 lap againstthe outer sides of the vertical members 24 and pass beneath the ends ofthe transverse members 23, while the diagonal members 21 extend betweenthe longitudinal members 22, the endmost diagonal member 21 being bracedat its foot against the projected end of the transverse member '23 ateach corner of the frame. The longitudinal members 22 are held apart byintermediate vertical members or bars 25 receiving the ends of theintermediate diagonal member 21. and the inner ends-of the endmostdiagonal members.

The means for propelling the craft comprises preferably threepropellers, one of which is directly connected to the motor 20, whilethe other two are geared to the motor 20, as is disclosed in Figs. 1 and2, all of said propellers being ournaled in the frame of the car. It is,of course, understood that any number of propellers may be employed, andthat the same may be arranged as desired. Above the car and on each sideof the air craft is a series of steering vanes 26 supported in a frame27 carried upon the upper ends of the uprights 28 extending from the caror frame. The original application, of which this is a division, hasretained this specific steering mechanism, and reference is made to thesame for the specific details thereof.

From the foregoing construction it is apparent that when the craft is inoperation should the propelling mechanism 20 become inoperative for anyreason the gas carried in the containers 10 is suificient to sustain thecraft in mid-air and to prevent the falling or overturning of the same.On the other hand when the gas leaks from the containers the craft maybe propelled safely to the ground as an aeroplane structure, since thecontainers are given such form as to provide planes by reason of theirpeculiar grouping. It is also seen from this structure that the snaprings'17 may be detached from the links 15 to disconnect the straps 14and admit of the knocking down or separation of the containers,admitting of the same being conveyed separately from place to placewhere it is desired to construct-or set up the apparatus. It is notedthat the diagonal braces or struts 21 are inclined forwardly and thattheir extremities engage against the corners formed between the verticalmembers 24 and 25 and the longitudinal members 20 so that the thrust ofthe propellers upon the frame or car is received practicallylongitudinally of the struts 21, thereby reinforcing the frame andobtaining the greatest possible strength of the struts incident to theirpeculiar positioning.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is 1. An aircraft comprising a plurality of gas containers, each one of saidcontainers being formed of an elongated and pointed elementsubstantially rectangular in crosssection and being curvedlongitudinally, means for securing said gas containers side by side insuperposed groups to provide planes, and propelling means for theplanes.

2. An air craft comprising a plurality of plane-elements each one ofsaid elements being formed of an elongated gas container havingWedge-shaped ends and flat sides, means for grouping said containers insuperposed and transverse series, and propolling means suspended beneaththe planeelements.

3. An air craft comprising a plurality of elongated and pointed gascontainers being substantially rectangular in cross-section, securingmeans for the gas containers for holding the same side by side inseparate groups to form planes, said gas containers being curvedlongitudinally throughout their lengths whereby the planes are curved inthe direction of the line of flight, and propelling means for theplanes.

4. An air craft having a gas container formed of an elongated andpointed element substantially rectangular in cross-section and beingcurved longitudinally throughout its length.

5. An air craft comprising a plurality of gas containers substantiallyrectangular in cross-section and tapering at their ends, said containersbeing curved longitudinally throughout their lengths, means for groupingsaid containers to form planes, and propelling means for the planes.

6. A plane for air craft comprising a plurality of gas containersarranged side by side and tapering at their opposite ends, said gascontainers being curved lengthwise in the line of flight, and means forholding the gas containers together.

7. An air craft comprising superposed planes, each of said planes beingformed of a plurality of gas containers, straps encircling the gascontainers and being looped at the edges thereof, and connecting linkssecuring the loops of the gas containers to group the same together.

8. An air craft comprising a plurality of gas containers, straps securedabout the gas containers at regular intervals throughout their lengthsand being looped at the corners thereof, and links engaging through theloops to group said containers together.

9. An air craft comprising a rectangular body structure composed of aplurality of gas containers, straps encircling the gas containers atregular intervals throughout their lengths and being looped at the edgesthereof, links joining the looped portions of the straps to group thecontainers together, a frame structure suspended from the lower gascontainers, and propelling means mounted upon the frame structure.

10. An air craft comprising a rectangular structure embodying a group ofgas containers of elongated form having tapering ends, straps securedabout the containers and being looped at the edges thereof, and linksconnecting the loops to hold the containers together.

11. In an air craft, a plurality of separate gas containers having fiatsides and wedge shaped ends, independent straps carried about the gascontainers at regular intervals throughout their lengths and beinglooped at the corners thereof, and links detachably engaging the loopsto group the gas containers in various horizontal and vertical series asdesired.

12. In an air craft, a plurality of separable and interchangeable gascontainers, said containers comprising elongated bodies having flatsides adapted to fit closely together when the bodies are assembled,loops carried at the edges of the containers and adapted to registerwith one another, and detachable links engaging through the loops tohold the containers in groups, whereby planes of the desired width andnumber may be formed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK BRAOKETT.

Witnesses:

JAs. J. MAWHINNEY, G. M. Sruonnn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G."

